NEW YORK CITY: BISHOP NICHOLAS OF MANHATTAN ELECTED FIRST HIERARCH OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA

September 14th

On Tuesday, 13 September, the election of His Grace Nicholas, Bishop of Manhattan, as the new First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia by its Council of Bishops took place.

In accordance with the Act of Canonical Communion, signed on May 17, 2007, the Council will send the Act of Election, drafted by the vote-counting committee, to His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia, with a request to bless the electee to assume the duties of the First Hierarch entrusted to him by his brother-archpastors, and for confirmation of the election by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The rite of enthronement of His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, newly elected First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, will take place on Sunday, September 18.

Schedule of Divine Services for the Enthronement of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad:

Saturday, September 17 ‒ All-Night vigil in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign at 6:00 PM.

At the end of the service, the newly elected Primate will emerge through the Royal Doors in a black klobuk and common bishop’s mantle and face the congregation. Two senior hierarchs will then present a white klobuk and blue mantle, which the newly elected First Hierarch will don, aided by subdeacons. At this moment, the senior-most hierarch will announce “Axios” (“he is worthy”) which will be repeated first by the bishops then by the choir.

After this, the Primate will bless the clergy and congregants. Before this, the blue mantle and white klobuk will be blessed with holy water by the senior-most hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad during the reading of the First Hour.

Sunday, September 18 ‒ Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral at 9:30 AM.

After the reading of the entrance prayers and the customary vesting of the two senior hierarchs, the new Metropolitan will be escorted to the vesting area, when “Axios” will be repeated by the hierarchs and clergy, then by the choir. Divine Liturgy will commence in the customary manner.

After the service, a moleben will be performed along with the entrusting of the archpastoral staff to the new Primate, which was blessed on the crypt of the Holy Hierarch Tikhon, Patriarch and Confessor of All Russia.

Source: https://eadiocese.org/news_220913_3